4.5 miles 20 minute swim
My ear appears to be improved though sleeping was difficult last night. No worries; I can always catch up during the day.
Craig and Rudy went off to play tennis. I stayed home and swam, rather, walked in the water since I didn't want to get my ear wet.
After Craig returned, we walked to the drug store and got some drops and then onto the mercado where we bought a pile of vegetables and fruit for less than $15.00.
Siestas this afternoon and tonight we'll take ourselves down to the beachfront and walk and probably have a lovely beverage and light dinner while the sun sets.
My friend asked me this question:
And as I thought about this, my answer below:When you are away for so long, do you miss having chores to do or a need to accomplish something? I am so chore and work orientated myself. Can you putter around a garden?
It’s very warm here; almost too warm but then again how often does the weather get it exactly right? If we plan the day well, it is fine. Get out early and late. Stay cool and indoors or at the beach during the heat of the day.
We do have chores to do here. For one thing, when a person walks everywhere - to Costco (2 miles), to the market (1 mile), to the gym (1 mile), to the grocery store (1.5 miles), to the beach (1+ mile), and walk back or take a cab, the day goes by. It slows everything down. Also, since we’re living here, we don’t go out to eat much so that means food planning, buying, preparing take a bunch of time. And we are trying to get in a lot of physical activity. Note I am not calling it exercise because it is included in the activities of our days. CC is playing tennis right now with Rudy. We have joined the gym so we can ride bikes and do yoga regularly. Leslie has a lovely young woman who is her physical trainer and I hitch along and do some of the routines/workouts with them. She even got me a belly dancing skirt. Now that is pathetic.
So that’s the daily routine. Lots of time for watching movies of choice. We have a great big TV with apple tV set up and our Slingbox so we can elect to watch whatever we want.
And then there are excursions. Like yesterday (see the blog). And downtown is a lot of fun.
Today though I’m hanging at home because my ear is messed up. I don’t know whether it’s structural or whether I contracted Swimmer’s ear. It was really painful yesterday but today is still there but less intense. I’m headed to the pool (head out) and then to the pharmacy to see what drugs I can pick up. Basically everything is available over the counter!!
Still, in answer to your question. This is a nice getaway and good to shift and see life from a different lense and sunshine softens all, but I will be glad to come home. I would never want to live here permanently. And 6 weeks I believe is the outer limit. We’ll see. Sonya et al come for a week arriving in 2 weeks. So that will fly by and then we’ll only have a week left. Perhaps next year, god willing and the creek don't dry, some other friends will spend some time with us.
It is enough, though, to be away, to think differently, to have the opportunity to get to know each other's hearts again, and to have predictable warmth and sunshine during these months.
We like to have a project to work on and this time we have a couple. There's the Camino presentation for REI and another treatise for the ITTP Board and Faculty . That along with all we read and write is enough. If we return feeling more physically in shape and having lost some pounds of fat, our stay at the fat farm will be worth it.
Just returned from el Centro. Now we are comfortable taking busses. It takes about 20 minutes to get anywhere we want to and costs 15 pesos for both of us (14 pesos = $1.00) The Malecon was full of strolling people, many Mexican families as well as the tourist population. All out for a summer Saturday evening. Street entertainers are enjoyed and all types of foods are offered. We sat by the sea with our feet in the sand and shared a plate of fajitas.
